The Renoir Truffaut

L’ Enfant sauvage

The Wild Child

Truffaut’s marvellous recreation of a scientist’s attempts to educate a feral child in 1790s France. Plus two rare early shorts.

Photograph: Pierre Zucca

  • Director

    François Truffaut

  • With

    Jean-Pierre Cargol, François Truffaut, Jean Dasté, Françoise Seigner

  • France 1970. 83min

  • Digital

  • Certificate

    U

  • English subtitles

A deeply moving drama based on the real-life story of a feral boy who was discovered living in an Aveyron forest in 1798. This astute philosophical meditation on matters of morality, humanity, responsibility and ‘civilisation’, benefits from Nestor Almendros’ stunning black-and-white camerawork and superb performances from Cargol and Truffaut.

See our Relaxed screening of this film with discussion.

+ Une Histoire d’eau

A Story of Water

France 1958. Dirs François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard. 18min. 35mm. With English subtitles

Truffaut shot scenes of a couple caught in a Paris deluge, on 16mm. Thereafter Godard took over the project, editing the footage and writing and delivering the voiceover.

Joint ticket available with the season introduction For the Love of People... The Films of François Truffaut on Monday 10 January, £15, concessions £12 (Members pay £2 less).

See our Relaxed screening with discussion.